


I Am Moana

by Transformersfan123



Category: Moana (2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2019-03-02 21:23:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13326636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Transformersfan123/pseuds/Transformersfan123
Summary: She had learned long ago who she was, and the answer hadn't changed. The ocean had claimed her, but she was still her. She was both of them at the same time. The other gods would be surprised that Kanaloa had become, and they would be even more surprised to find out it had become a female. And what about Maui? Adult Moana and Maui romance, but only minor.





	1. Who Am I?

**Author's Note:**

> Here is a Moana story that I came up with after repeatedly watching said movie. I tried to base the gods on real Polynesian myths, but I didn't stick to them exactly, as you will see. But the names and what they are gods/goddesses of I stuck to as closely as possible. Please enjoy!

The girl opened her eyes to find darkness. She was in water, probably the ocean, but she was far below the surface, where not even the brightest ray of sunlight could reach. She was again content for a while, but became restless again as another thought occurred to her. _Who am I?_

She remembered sailing with a man, no, a demigod, facing a lava demon, restoring life to Mother Earth. She remembered dancing in a village, a proud smile on her father's face while her mother laughed and swayed along. She remembered a storm, terrible and raging, and a scream that echoed her name through the gale. She knew who she was, or who she used to be.

' _Who says they are not the same?_ ' a voice asked in her head.

 _'I am different now,'_ she replied.

_'How are you different?'_

_'I am…more.'_

_'What is more?'_

She paused, uncertain, the beat of life pulsing through her. _'I am the coming in and going out. I am the life surrounding the islands. I can be soft and gentle, or I can be strong and fierce. I fuel the rain, and I relieve the sun's heat.'_

The life swelled around her, bearing her up to the surface to see stars, bright and clear, and so detached from the world. She looked around to see what she knew was herself.

The voice that was in her head filled her to the brim, pouring out in hot tears as she was overwhelmed.

_'Who are you?'_

_'I am the embodiment of the ocean!'_ she thought.

_'Say it!'_

_'I am the ocean!'_

_'Say it!'_

The water left her lungs and she screamed. "I am the sea!"

The entire ocean lit up like a beacon, then all of that light poured into her, washing away all thought and reason. Everything that she had said rang true to her own ears. She became so much more than she was, yet more herself than she'd ever been. Then, in an instant, it was over. She was borne to the shore of an unknown island, where she lay until dawn. As the sun rose, she sat up and knew who he was: Tama-nui-te-ra. She knew of his wives, and of his sons, and of how Maui beat him to make him travel more slowly across the great sky, where Ranginui lived.

Water lapped at her feet, and she looked down, an unconscious smile tugging at her lips. Before she knew it, she had waded waist-deep into the soothing waves. She closed her eyes, feeling the life. The sun watched her curiously for a moment, then wondered, not at her, but at why he had noticed such an insignificant being. He immediately ignored her again, banishing the thought from his mind as he focused on his travels.

Her gaze went up at him once again for a brief moment, noting that she could see his great boat as it sailed the sky. It didn't blind her as it was supposed to. She looked back down, focusing on the great expanse of blue that stretched out to the horizon. The questions she had asked came back to her.

 _Where am I?_ She was on an island over a hundred miles away from Motunui, her home. It was inhabited only by animals. Being alone brought forward her other question, one only she could answer.

 _Who am I?_ The only sound for a while was the waves gently lapping against the shore and her thin body. A _body!_ Half of her was so thrilled with the thought, the new half. That part had been looking for a way to become for such a long time. It had yearned to become for so many years, and slowly the years had turned to decades, the decades had turned to centuries, and the centuries had turned to millennia. All of the others had become on their own, but it had not been possible for the being. It analyzed everything, taking in the experience.

First, it noticed it had a sex. It was female. Most of the others had become males, preferring the larger stature, superior strength, and greater influence amongst the humans. But they hadn't become for very long. They all reverted back to their other forms, finding the mortals to be beneath them. Besides that, it was glad to be female. There was a power inside of the fairer sex that the other half didn't possess. At least, males didn't possess it in the same way, and not nearly in the same amount. So, the being was pleased to be female.

Once the novelty of being female was noted, she moved on to the physicality of her new body. The sand was pleasant on her feet. She buried her toes in it, relishing the feeling of the grains moving against her human skin. The water that beat against her was nice and cool, setting off the heat of the sun, which warmed her as it sailed higher into the sky. She noticed the warmth, and the sweat that it produced. The sweat caused an unpleasant sensation that irritated her skin. Instinct prompted her to raise her hand and draw her nails across the irritation. Ah, that was relieving, and her new half made the connection with the words _itch_ and _scratch_.

She stood there in the sun as it moved higher and higher, and the heat grew greater and greater. It finally got too uncomfortable, so she swam out into the cool water. Her old half took in a great breath of air, and she dove down into the depths. The girl let her air leak out in small bubbles as she took in her new perspective of the sea life. When she her lungs were empty, the older part of her screamed for them to go up and take another breath, but her new half inhaled the water, calling to mind the smoothness of her first inhalation in a while and calming both halves of herself. The new half noted the need for breathing and assured the old half that air was in the water, too, just in a different way. How else could fish breathe?

The light slowly diminished, and when it had been gone for a while, the water grew cooler. Finding her eyes not suited to see in the darkness of night, she swam back to shore. As soon as she stepped onto the sand, a cool breeze made her shiver. She took a moment to register the sensation and equate the word _cold_ with it before realizing that she needed fire. It was a very mortal thing, to need fire, but she reasoned that she had become, so it was only right for her to make some.

Her new half quickly realized something. She had been the opposite of fire for her entire existence, and she had no idea how to make any. Her old half laughed at her as she gathered wood and awkwardly tried to create heat. She finally relented and let her old half show her how to do it. When the wood had released its heat, she drew close to the flames. Hesitantly, curiously, she reached out to touch it. A cry left her mouth as she jerked her hand back. The unpleasant sensation registered as _pain_. It was in the form of a burn, something that the older being hadn't felt before, or even truly understood in its whole concept of reality.

She sucked on her fingers, trying to alleviate the pain. The sucking brought her focus to another new feeling: a dry throat. She needed water! Considering she had been water for the longest time, it was a novel thought. Knowing that salt water would only increase the dryness, she sought out a freshwater pool. The long draught of cool liquid soothed her in a way she had never known, at least not the new half. The water made the burn hurt worse, and she decided to find out if she could heal.

As the water glowed blue, the pain dulled before disappearing, and she was pleased to find out she could. But what else could she do? A pang in her midsection made her gasp in surprise. Her other half told her it was hunger. She could smell a delectable scent that she translated as _mangos_ , but she wanted the meat of the sea to be the first thing she tasted.

She noted her two halves of her mind were coming together, and the referencing between the two was getting harder. She finally decided to treat this whole night as a new experience, and would refer to it as such. She promised her other half that once the novelty wore off a little, her personality would come back to the surface.

Using her power, she perused her options then selected a large tuna. She slowly scaled the fish before sectioning it and cooking it over the fire, careful not to induce anymore pain by touching the flames. When her meal was hot and ready, she let it cool for a few moments before taking a bite. Taste was the best sensation yet! She ate until her stomach ached, then decided to save the rest for the next morning. Exhaustion tugged at her mind, something she recognized, just in a different form than what she usually experienced. Stoking the fire high, she gathered leaves and made a bed before lying down. Her eyes were heavy, and when she closed them, it felt good. Her mind wandered through the day before she fell asleep and was given the novel experience of dreaming pleasant dreams. As she slept, the question came back.

_Who am I?_

When she awoke, she whispered the answer aloud.

"I am Moana."


	2. Why?

Maui stared balefully at the ocean. The ocean that had carried away his heart and soul. For years, he had denied it, but as he had settled into life in Motunui, his mind always came back to her. At first, he had pushed the thoughts away simply because she was so physically young. But she had matured, and that reason was pushed away. Then it was because she didn't have the fifteen hundred years that he had, but her wisdom was shown to be greater than his at almost every turn, so that reason didn't count anymore. Still he tried to convince himself that she didn't want him.

Each and every look she had given him made his confidence soar, each laugh he earned made him smile in triumph, and each time she danced, he found himself mesmerized by the sway of her body, the rhythm of her steps. It wasn't just physical, which was something he had known before. The demigod of the wind and sea had finally admitted it: he was in love with the beautiful girl called Moana. Just when he confessed it to himself, the ocean had stolen her away.

He blinked away the tears that stung his eyes. He didn't cry. Ever. His large fingers traced the design etched into his fishhook. Ancient symbols of power and magic, granted to him by the gods. He didn't want it anymore. He wanted death, but Hine-nui-te-po wouldn't touch him. He half considered going to her and begging her to take his soul. No, then Te Fiti would find out that he wanted to die, and she would summon him and ask what was wrong. And he knew that if anybody asked him what was wrong, his pain would leak down his face.

The chief walked up. "You are welcome to stay, Maui."

"I'm leaving."

Tui nodded, his gaze locked on the blue expanse that stretched to the horizon. "My people have feared the ocean for too long, and I won't take it back. But I will never forgive it."

Maui nodded silently, setting his face to keep from grimacing at the pain that radiated from his heart.

Tui patted his shoulder. "We all loved her."

The demigod didn't confirm or deny this, so the chief sighed.

"Goodbye."

Maui nodded almost imperceptibly then leaped from the cliff. As the tingle of transformation swept through him, he screamed, which came out a a sharp hawk cry. In that one scream, he put all of his pain and frustration, and he soared above the water that he hated more than ever. He had always wondered why the ocean had chosen to save him. He had wondered for years why it had chosen Moana to save Te Fiti. Now, though, he had a much worse question: why hadn't the ocean saved _her?_


	3. Lord of Darkness

Moana ate her fish as she thought. The two halves of her mind were like the tide. Sometimes they would rise together, other times one would fall in the power of the other. The thing was, her own mind was just as powerful as the ocean's sometimes. They still hadn't reconciled, which worried them both to different degrees. The ocean assured her that it would take time, but Moana was impatient, as most humans were. It amused her other half.

A pulse shuddered up her spine, and she gasped, nearly choking on her mahi-mahi. The ocean was attentive immediately.

"What was that?" Moana demanded.

Knowledge filled her mind; the ocean rarely spoke in words, as it hadn't been able to do that for most of the thousands of years it had existed. Instead, it freely shared of its knowledge as she needed it. She enjoyed instantly knowing things, but she missed voices speaking out loud to her, especially a certain demigod's deep voice. The ocean was interested in her feelings of love—though she had denied that it was love she felt for Maui for a few days until she gave in with a grumble—and desired to study it, but the ancient being was finding out about the shyness of a female unsure of her feelings. It was still reveling in her experiences, though, so it didn't mind too much.

The girl sat and thought for a few minutes of Maui and her unspoken feelings before turning her mind to the pulse that had surprised her. She asked the question again out loud just to hear a voice.

"What was that?"

The ocean gave her the knowledge freely. It was a calling to all gods, all ancients. It was a meeting, and as it involved demigods, the gods had to become to talk. Moana's heart beat faster. The ocean sent an inquiring feeling. She tried to shrug it off, but her other half tried to combine their minds to find her answer. She sighed after a few minutes.

"I'm not worthy to be around so many gods."

The ocean soothed her, and she was informed that many of them weren't worthy to be around her. None of them had saved humankind as she had, not even the full gods. She blushed at the compliment.

"Will Maui be there?"

_'Most likely,'_ the ocean replied, the words ringing in her head. _'He is a demigod, after all.'_

"Where is it?"

There was the mental feeling of a shrug. They hadn't said yet, but it was probably Te Fiti's goddess form, which is where they usually met.

Moana ate the rest of her fish then had a mango for dessert. After washing her hands, she went to bathe in the ocean. She swam in the swells for a while before going back to shore and relaxing in the shade. Deciding to practice, she held out her hands and began pushing the water away. Then she drew it to herself. Back and forth, like the tides, only different. Moana lost herself in the rhythm, bringing the water farther and father up the shore until it washed over her every time she brought it in.

Another pulse filled the air, and she read into it. Te Fiti it was, then. In two days. She had no boat, but she had found she could travel through any form of water, but especially the sea. She would leave the next morning, which would give her time to enjoy herself in the ocean.

After a fitful sleep, something the ocean had never been through and found it didn't particularly like, she got up and ate then dove into the water, propelling herself to where she knew Te Fiti was. The journey was fun, except for a looming sense of fear that the ocean didn't understand. As she traveled, the ocean decided to practice talking.

_'So? What are these feelings?'_

Shyness welled up, but she answered, knowing she couldn't avoid it forever. _'I don't know what they'll think of me.'_

_'Hm. Interesting. So, it is fear? Fear of judgement?'_

_'I guess.'_

There was silence for a while then the ocean caressed her mind. _'Why are you so afraid?'_

Moana rolled her eyes, diving deeper. _'Why aren't you?'_

_'Should I be?'_

_'You've become, haven't you? That means they'll look at us and judge your form, and the fact that we aren't one yet. They will probably laugh at what they will see as your weakness.'_

More silence as the ocean considered this. Nervousness made her stomach churn, and she shuddered. _'I am not sure I like all of these feelings.'_

_'Part of becoming,'_ Moana replied with a grin, _'It's been a part of me my whole life.'_

The ocean forced her hands to raise them to the surface to see the sun sailing close to the ground. Tama-nui-te-ra jumped down and shot down toward Te Fiti, shrinking until she couldn't see him. His boat was moving of it's own accord now, and clouds were gathering so the mortals wouldn't notice its erratic nature. Hinakuluiau swept by, riding on the storm clouds that started a downpour. Lono followed swiftly. Neither the god or the goddess noticed her, as she had dissolved into the ocean water.

_'I am properly afraid now,'_ her other half said in surprise and embarrassment as they reconvened into her physical form.

_'Let's get to Te Fiti,'_ Moana said after the sea had time to analyze these new feelings.

They came up on the Mother Island's pillow. Nervousness dogged every step that she took. She froze as a thought occurred to her. _I must look hideous!_ The ocean was surprised to think that, but it knew she needed to look presentable for the other gods. So, she took a detour and combed her wet, curly hair—ever since they had combined, her hair had been wet no matter what—and washed her face with cool, fresh water.

She took a drink, ate a piece of fruit, then looked down at what she wore. It was faded and worn through. That would never do, and besides that, it was red. While red was a royal color for humans, the ocean was blue, so she needed to wear blue. Using her power, she formed a garment similar to what she usually wore, except it was blue instead of red: a long, flowing skirt with typical island designs, and a top that bared her stomach a little bit with more designs on it in a darker shade of blue. She then stilled the pool and looked at herself. She looked much better, and smiled at herself before moving off to find the others.

Voices drew her attention to the clearing where the others stood. Suddenly nervous again, she hid behind a tree to observe.

Te Fiti stood proud, a dark-skinned woman with deep green eyes, long hair, and a wreath of flowers on her brow. Her long dress was green and flowing, with flora of all sorts sewn into the fabric. Tama-nui-te-ra— _The gods all call him Tama,_ the ocean informed her—was in yellows and reds, his lava-lava skirt was to his knees and had flame patterns on it. He was broad shouldered, but thin, his yellow eyes a sharp contrast to his dark face. He wasn't as dark as Te Fiti, but he wasn't much lighter, either.

Hinakuluiau wore a grey skirt, flowing into blackness, which was something Moana had never seen in a lava-lava before. Her top looked like a storm cloud coming across the sky. Lono wore a lava-lava similar to hers, symbolizing their sibling relationship. The ocean prompted her to go forward, but it was only half-hearted, and neither of them moved to go join them. Her heart was jumping in her chest, pounding against her ribs. Others started arriving, each dressed colorfully and holding themselves with confidence. A demigod she didn't know, Kui, arrived, but Maui was still nowhere. Still, she didn't move.

"Where is Maui?" Te Fiti asked, her rich voice going down like a good drink.

"I'm not sure," Kui replied. "I searched around and couldn't find him. He is nowhere."

The great goddess was clearly confused. "He is not in Motunui?"

"There was a great tragedy. The girl that restored your heart died. Maui left soon after, and the chief didn't know where he would go."

"Moana…died?" Sorrow entered her fair face. "How?"

"I did not ask. Nobody wanted to speak of it. The chief's wife, Sina, mentioned a great storm, but she began to cry, so I asked no more."

"Mortals cry at the strangest things," Mahuika, the goddess of fire, stated dismissively.

"It is not strange!" Kui exclaimed. "Besides, what would you know of death?"

That silenced her, and she shrugged, looking away. "I wouldn't."

"Exactly. Don't judge the mortals for their sorrow at death. It is quite the parting."

A darkness swept across them, and all of the pleasant conversation ceased as Whiro appeared. He glanced around.

"Greetings."

"Why are you here?" Te Fiti asked evenly.

"There was a meeting called, and I am eager to see the one who has just become for the first time."

Curiosity lit up all the faces. "The only one of us who hasn't ever become is Kanaloa," Lono murmured. "He has become at last?"

"I am sure he did," Whiro said, tracing a palm leaf and making it whither; Te Fiti frowned at him, and he smirked. "I expected to see him here, but it appears he has not arrived yet."

He touched a tree and it turned to ash. Te Fiti walked over to grab him. "You leave my island alone!"

Whiro glared then reached over and touched her forehead. She screamed and dropped. The others shrank back as her crown of flowers died. She didn't move.

"I was hoping to have all of you at once. I have waited for so long to have Kanaloa become to take away his power as well as yours, but I suppose I can hunt him down."

Darkness descended and there was screaming. Moana backed up fearfully, hiding in the thick foliage until the light returned, dim, but there. Kui was pinned by his throat, struggling and glaring at the very embodiment of evil. All other gods and goddesses were fighting to sit up, looking weak. Moana shifted, and the leaves rustled. Whiro immediately let the demigod go, turning and gesturing. The girl flew toward him, and he pinned her to a tree.

"Hello there," he said with a grin.

The ocean found that it had forgotten how to speak, but its other half had no such trouble.

"What do you want?"

"I want to know why a mortal is on Te Fiti."

Moana glared at him, and her blue eyes flashed. Whiro paused then began to laugh.

"The great Kanaloa has become a female!"

"Yeah? Well, I bet you a male wouldn't think to do this!" Moana barked then drove her knee up.

Whiro dropped, crying out in pain. Moana kicked him away then grabbed Kui, who looked dazed, but she could still feel his power pulsing through him. Whiro hadn't taken the demigod's power!

"Hold your breath!" she ordered of everybody.

Without waiting to see if they would, she raised her hands and let the ocean swallow them all, swiping them off the cliff and down into the depths. Whiro roared in anger and the ocean began tossing and turning on the surface, but Moana brought them down under the island to a cave. The ocean spat them out, and they sat there, gasping for air. Kui caught his breath first, looking over one of the most powerful gods he knew in the bioluminescent light the ocean was giving out. Well, she was a goddess now, he supposed.

"Kanaloa?" he asked as the others tried to get their bearings.

"I am not Kanaloa. I was, but I am not now."

"Who are you then?"

She turned, her blue eyes staring him down. "I am Moana."

There was a thick silence for a whole minute then Te Fiti stood up shakily. "Moana?"

"Yes?"

"What happened?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. I think I died, or I almost did, and the ocean decided to become…me. It still isn't one with me, though."

"Kanaloa became…you?" Lono asked. "How?"

"I'm not sure. I think he figured that he couldn't become any other way. He tried so hard, but couldn't, so he tried with me, the one he had chosen to help Te Fiti. So now, he's me, and I'm him. Or her, I guess. He's never had a sex before, but you all call him a male, and have for as long as any of you have become. So, she's me now. She's Moana."

They all stared at her for a few moments then took in her appearance. A female, a little thick around the middle, but that was typical for her people and she was slim for her build. She had deep blue eyes, which was something that was rare amongst humans in the islands and a clear influence of the ocean. Her hair was wet, and it had been even before they dove into the ocean to escape Whiro. She was in blue and tan clothing, and she looked strong. They could see Kanaloa in her, but there was also her. They realized that the little they knew of the god's personality was now mixed with Moana's, and that, though they weren't one and the same, they were incredibly similar.

"Is everybody okay?" Kui finally asked.

"I cannot feel my power," Te Fiti said grimly. "I cannot feel the beat of my heart."

"I am cold," Tama-nui-te-ra said with a shiver. "I have no heat inside of me."

"I cannot feel the weather," Hinakuluiau replied, and Lono nodded.

"He has taken all of our powers. All but Kanaloa's…I mean, Moana's."

"I still feel strong and well," Kui said. "And then there's the fact that Maui wasn't there. He still has his powers."

Moana nodded, looking away. "Nobody knows where he is?"

Kui shook his head. "No. I'm afraid not. I tried to find him, but he is in mourning…over you. You must find him."

"What are you all going to do?"

"We must stay hidden," Te Fiti replied, looking around. "Is there anywhere we can hide?"

"There are many islands. There are cave structures in them. I can take you to one."

"That might be for the best," Lono muttered. "Then you must take Kui and find Maui."

She nodded. "Get in the water then."

"Let us rest for a moment," the Mother Island said tiredly, leaning against the wall. "I feel drained."

Kui looked at Moana. "Looks like we're going to go on quite the adventure. Do you know where he could be?"

"What do we know about him?"

"Like I said, he's mourning for you," Kui answered.

Moana nodded. "What better place to be desolate than a desolate island?"

"You don't mean where Te Kā banished him, do you?" the demigod asked in surprise.

"It's a good place to start," Moana said with a nod.

"We'll need a boat. I won't travel through the ocean like that again. I couldn't breathe."

"I don't know how to make one very quickly."

"I have one on the shores, if Whiro hasn't destroyed it by now."

She nodded. "I'll take you up, you get it ready and start out. I'll meet you when you're properly out to sea and I've delivered them to an island."

"You got it, Moana," he said.

Moana waded into the water and stood there while the others watched and relaxed. Her life wasn't easy, and they were all curious on what was going through her mind. She was thinking on the journey, and Kanaloa was as one with her as she'd ever been. The waves lapped at her body, and she relaxed, knowing she wouldn't get the chance for a while, especially in front of this other demigod that Maui hadn't really ever spoke of. So, she took what she could at that moment, looking forward to when she would meet Maui again.


	4. I Thought I Lost You

Maui was starving, though his body didn't show it. He was miserable, but he still hadn't cried. He was sitting up on a rock when he saw the boat. It looked like Kui's, and he grunted in irritation. He didn't want to talk to him. He jumped down and went into his cave. Maybe Kui would get the hint. Twenty minutes later, Kui knocked on the rock by the entrance.

"Maui? You in here?"

"Go away, Kui."

"The gods are in trouble."

"I don't care."

"Why not?"

Maui traced the pattern on his fishhook, trying to ignore the stone in his gut. "I just don't."

"Is it because of—"

"If you say her name, I will kill you."

"I can't die. I'm immortal."

"You know what I mean."

Kui stared at him. "I have a surprise for you."

"I don't want it."

"Maui, please."

"Go away and leave me alone."

He crossed his arms and looked away. A soft sound of footsteps came into the cave.

"Maui?"

His heart stopped and he spun around to see Moana. She was dressed in blue instead of red, and she looked more beautiful than ever. There was a youth about her, along with an age that hadn't ever been there before. Her eyes, instead of brown, were blue like the ocean he had loved to sail with her on. She approached him on gentle feet, touching his arm lightly.

"What's wrong?"

The tears wouldn't be stopped this time, and he embraced her, cradling her close. He never thought to see her again, and holding her was more than enough to convince him she was alive and well. She held him back, a strength in her thin limbs that betrayed the power inside of her. He pulled back, and she wiped away his tears, but they were replaced by more.

"I thought I lost you, Moana."

"You didn't."

He leaned down and pressed their foreheads together, staring at the familiar gaze with the new color. She stared back, blushing hotly at the intensity in his eyes. He leaned down, and she didn't stop him, so he pressed their lips together. The lost themselves to the kiss for a few moments. The ocean was curious at the sensation as they pulled away. Maui noticed her eyes shine like sea on a bright day.

"What happened?"

"It's a long story."

"I want to hear it, Moana."

"Then let's cook up some fish. You look hungry."

Half an hour later, they were tearing into fresh fish. When their bellies were full, Kui backed up a little then Maui looked at Moana, taking in the power that radiated from her, the ageless youth that filled her face, and the millennia in her eyes.

"What happened to you?"

So, Moana explained to him how she had melded with the ocean, and how the bond wasn't fully formed yet. He took in the story with an attitude that only a demigod who had grown up around gods could. He sank into thought when her story was done, and shifted only when Kui touched him.

"Surprising, isn't it?"

"What is?" Maui asked after a moment.

"That Kanaloa became."

"I never thought he would."

"She's not a he. Never has been. We only called it a he," Kui laughed. " _She_ is now Moana."

Maui nodded. "I'm not surprised that out of all the people in the world, Kanaloa chose Moana. But, are you still Moana?" he asked her.

"I am. I am both myself and the ocean."

"How?"

"Kanaloa never really revealed much of its personality," Kui said with a nod. "Just from my travels with Moana to find you, I can tell she has much the same attitude that we all assumed the ocean had. They are similar. Playful and serious at the same time."

Maui nodded. "I can see that." He paused and took a bite of banana, chewing thoughtfully. "So how are the gods in trouble?"

"Whiro," the man replied grimly. "He stole the power of the other gods. Besides myself and Kana…Moana, nobody has any powers."

"Nobody?"

"Nobody."

Maui finished the piece of fruit then tossed the peel away. "Alright then. Let's go kick some evil butt!"

"We need a plan, Maui," Kui argued. "It's Whiro, and from the way he talked, he's been planning this for a long time."

"What exactly did he say?" the tattooed demigod prompted.

"He seemed to know that Kanaloa had become, and he wanted to take his power…her power, along with the others. Funny thing, bro, he thought the ocean had become a male, too. He got distracted by Moana before he could take my power, but everybody else is powerless. We're all that's left."

"What could Whiro want?" Moana asked.

"Think Te Kā, but a hundred thousand times worse," Maui answered, his expression dark. "All he wants is death and destruction. He hates humans, he hates the other gods, and he's powerful enough to take what he wants, apparently."

"He's devoured too many bodies," Kui growled.

"What are we going to do?" Moana asked, leaning back on her hands.

"We fight," Maui replied. "But…I guess we do need a plan."

"How do we fight an all-powerful god?" the girl demanded.

"You did it with Te Kā," Kui pointed out.

"I didn't fight her," Moana replied. "I reminded her of who she was."

Maui looked up at the grey sky. It had been grey for far too long, especially since it was the summer months and should have been sunny. He hadn't been worried. He should have been, apparently.

"I've never fought Whiro," he finally said into the silence. "But the gods have. We're going to need all of our wits to beat him."

"We can't kill him, can we?" Moana asked.

"No. He's immortal," Kui responded. "He's usually banished to the underworld, but he's allowed out for meetings with the other gods. Unfortunately, that's what caused this."

After several hours, they had come up with nothing.

"There's no way to get near him without losing our powers," Kui finally exclaimed.

"Why do you need powers to defeat him anyway?" Moana asked distastefully. "I didn't have any when I restored the Heart of Te Fiti."

There was a long pause before Maui grinned at Kui. He was confused.

"What?"

"I have a plan!"


	5. I Am Moana!

Kui shuddered as he fell to the ground, feeling weaker than he'd ever been. Maui's hook lay on the ground in two pieces, sparking pink. The large demigod watched dimly as Whiro approached Moana, swinging the chain of stones he wore as a necklace. A colorless one was held up.

"Your power will be blue."

The other gods were huddled behind the two fallen demigods, staring fearfully at the girl who was going to lose everything she was. Her power was gone in an instant, and she dropped to the ground, breathing shakily. Whiro laughed triumphantly, turning to gloat, but Moana stood up again, her brown eyes glaring intently. The god was clearly surprised, as was everybody but the demigods, who knew better than to be surprised by mortals.

"Funny thing about me, Whiro," Moana said, posture confident. "I got my powers three months ago. Before that I had none. Fight like a man, and I'll beat you."

Whiro pursed his lips. "I am no man. I am a _god_. I am Whiro! Lord of Darkness and Evil Incarnate! I stole the powers of all the gods and demigods!"

"I am Moana of Motunui!" the girl retorted loudly. "Aboard my boat, I sailed across the sea and restored the Heart of Te Fiti! And I don't need to be a god to beat you!"

With that, she lunged, and caught his necklace. He shrieked and grabbed her with strong hands. She felt her bones protest, pushed to nearly breaking. Hooking his ankle with her foot, she forced them to tumble to the ground, where she struggled to break the chain that held the stones to his throat. He attempted to throw her off, but found she had latched on so well that the only way to get her off would be to take off the necklace, and he didn't want to risk it. He had greatly underestimated the ocean!

"Join me, Kanaloa!" he offered with a grunt. "And we will rule together!"

"I am _Moana!_ " she bellowed. "And you will give me the stones!"

Whiro struck her head, and her vision swam, but it only locked her grip even more. She gave a hard tug and the chain snapped. She was thrown aside, and the god screamed in rage, snagging her by the hair and forcing her head into a pool.

"You will die, mortal!" he raged, darkening the world around them all so nobody could help the girl.

Moana moved to strike the stones against a rock until they began to break. Green flew out of one and Te Fiti cried out in the darkness. She struck another, and it flashed like lightning. A male voice cried out as power returned to his limbs. Several more times, light flew out only to be consumed by darkness, but the gods that had gotten their powers back started to search for them to help. But Moana was drowning, and her movements slowed. She could hear voices, but the water muffled them.

A memory came forward as she gasped in water. The last time inhaling water had burned so badly seared into her mind, and she remembered the life leaving her body. She had _died_ before the ocean claimed her! But could it save her again? She stilled as the god holding her down was torn away. Large hands jerked her up, but she still couldn't breathe. Those same hands compressed her stomach several times, and the last thing she knew was more burning in her throat, this time going the other way.


	6. Companion

Moana was sore, especially her throat. She coughed, curling up on her side. A large hand settled on her head.

"Easy, Moana."

"Maui?" she rasped, opening her eyes to stare at him. He helped her to sit up, and her arms trembled. "What happened?"

"You nearly drowned," he murmured, swiping her dry hair out of her face.

"Am I alright?"

"Are you?"

"Part of me is missing," she whimpered.

A delicate hand held out a blue stone, and Moana looked up to see Te Fiti. The other gods were cooking pork and fish, but all of their eyes were on her, their hands frozen in whatever task they had been performing.

The goddess handed her the carved blue rock. "Kanaloa is in this stone. But before you break it, we have something to say to you, Moana of Motunui."

They all stood as one and bowed low to her. "You have our sincerest gratitude," Lono said solemnly.

"Yes, Moana. Kanaloa has chosen the best companion in the known world," his sister said with a nod.

"Companion?"

"I do not know if you will ever truly be one," Te Fiti replied. "He… _She_ did not become as we did. She chose a companion, and we will forever be grateful for that. Kanaloa was never as we are, or were, and her becoming was different."

"Where's Whiro?" Moana asked, staring at the glowing symbols on the carved stone.

"Locked in the Underworld, and he will not be let out for a while," Tama-nui-te-ra growled, his eyes flashing in rage. "We have drained most of his power, but we didn't take away all of it."

Moana stared at the gods as they gazed back, respect in their faces. She finally cracked the stone against a rock, and Kanaloa flooded into her mind. She unconsciously tensed then relaxed as strength she didn't know she'd missed came back. The ocean caressed her mind fondly, and she knew it thought she was brave.

"I guess your plan worked, Maui," she said with a smile.

He smiled back, shrugging. "You had a point. You had no powers in our first adventure. I figured you could handle this without any, too."

"It was _your_ plan, Maui?" Lono asked curiously.

"Yeah, Kui was useless," Maui said dismissively, grinning at the other demigod.

"Except as bait," Moana said slyly, and everybody laughed, but nobody laughed as hard as Maui.

"Food, Moana?" Hinakuluiau asked, offering a plate.

"I'll take pork. Kanaloa hasn't tasted pork before."

They all focused on eating for a few minutes. The gods couldn't help but notice that Maui was sitting very close to the girl, and they shared a knowing smile before Te Fiti stood up.

"Let us create a song for Moana that the mortals will sing forevermore!"

"That's not necessary," Moana argued, blushing.

"Nonsense! You taught the villagers my song!" Maui laughed. "And I will teach them yours! When we leave, we will go right back to Motunui so that your father will forgive Kanaloa. He still thinks the ocean killed you."

"And there will be a verse on your love, too," Kui teased.

That shut Maui up, and the gods all laughed. Maui and Moana had hot faces as they looked at each other, but she leaned against him and they shared a kiss.

"You will be together for as long as the world lasts," the black-eyed demigod said to Maui. "You will never mourn for her again."

"Yeah. I know. And that's the best thing the ocean's ever done for me."

"For us," Moana replied, her blue eyes gleaming with emotion.

"Yes, princess."

The girl cried out in anger, shoving him. He laughed, embracing her and kissing her into submission. The other gods didn't understand, but they didn't need to. She pulled back, a challenge in her eyes that Maui would always meet. He smiled, and she kissed him again before drenching him in ocean water.

"I'm not a princess. I have no animal sidekick!"

Maui snorted, picking up his fishhook. "You'll regret that!"

Even Mini-Maui looked vengeful, so she leaped over the fire and ran to the sea, her dearest friend chasing after her, both of them laughing all the way. The gods smiled. It was good to see Maui find somebody, and to have such a brave, fierce girl amongst them. They were pleased, even more so when the ocean spat a fish in the demigod's face. They all descended into rapture, gripping their sides as amusement overcame them, then they turned to composing their new song.


End file.
